gas stations

Wawa is continuing its Sunshine State expansion with plans for a new store on Clark Road.

Commercial building permits filed Wednesday call for $888,000 worth of construction for a new 6,119-square-foot Wawa just northeast of Clark Road and Honore Avenue near Baer’s Furniture. That intersection is also home to a Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy, Jimmy John’s, Chick-fil-A and a Marathon gas station.

The Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain known for its touchscreen ordering and deli-style sandwich counters has been busy in Southwest Florida since it opened its first store here in 2014. The restaurant-like chain has opened eight stores in the Sarasota-Bradenton area and has at least two more locations in the works in Manatee County. Plans also are moving forward for a location in Nokomis.

While much of brick-and-mortar retail has struggled in recent years, convenience stores have weathered the new retail climate better than some. Wawa isn’t the only one making moves in this market. RaceTrac, Wawa’s major Southwest Florida competitor, has been refurbishing stores in the area and Rally, a Tampa Bay area-based convenience store chain, has opened its first Manatee County location at Lockwood Ridge Road and University Parkway.